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Escambia Tries Again For Half Million State Dollars For Molino Library

August 2, 2010

For the fourth year running, Escambia County is hoping to receive a half million dollar grant from the state towards the construction of a new public library in a portion of the Molino Elementary School.

Escambia County has applied for a $500,000 grant for the past four years but no library construction funding was provided by the Florida Legislature. The county has already committed $513,500 in matching local option sales tax funds toward the $1,013,500 total library cost.

In March 2007, the commission authorized the submission of an application for a state library construction grant to provide $500,000 towards the construction of a public library in a 4,930 square foot portion of the old Molino Elementary. That 2007 application was ranked number two for funding among 23 applicants, but the state did not provide any funding.

The same application was again re-submitted in 2008 and ranked number three, but due to funding constraints, the Legislature did not fund any projects

Again, in 2009, Escambia County applied for the half million grant. Again, the Legislature provided no funding for the library construction program.

The State Library has requested that if Escambia County intends to continue to pursue this project, the existing approved grant application on file with the state be updated for consideration and re-submission to the next session of the State Legislature for funding consideration in 2011. The Escambia County Commission is expected to approved that resubmission at their Thursday night meeting.

In addition to a library, plans call for the old Molino school to become a community hub, possibly including a museum highlighting Molino history, a small health clinic, a business incubator, renovation of the cafeteria and one additional building for community events and private party rental along with other uses. The school campus includes four buildings — the largest of which is 16,630 square feet.

Pictured top: District 5 Escambia County Commissioner Kevin White and Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley discuss potential plans for the old Molino School in the auditorium of the facility in early 2010. Pictured bottom inset: This end of the old school will be converted into a library. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

9 Responses to “Escambia Tries Again For Half Million State Dollars For Molino Library”

David Huie Green on August 5th, 2010 11:30 am

eye dont werre about misspellengz. itz thee messpellengz two corect duh wons thet wurnt mezspelengz thet cornfuze me.

I was trying to find where anyone misused “library’s” and that confused me.

peace be unto you
(peas are good too)
joshua on August 5th, 2010 9:45 am

Yes I know Mr Green,my 15 year old has giving me more grief for the misspelling than you could ever possibly could give me .But i’m glad to see you got my point,it seems I could use the library more than most. peace.
David Huie Green on August 5th, 2010 2:16 am

REGARDING:
“and you will be able to learn how to spell ” library’s””

Your statement confuses me.

Library: a place for books (Let’s go to the library and check out the new Harry Potter book.)
Libraries: places for books ([I love libraries. They have great books.)
Library’s: possessed by a library (The library’s reference section is not for loan.)

Some ebook readers are expensive, some are cheap. My son has downloaded numerous books on his iPhone which he already bought for other purposes. I have seen some MP3 players for under $50 which could serve as ebook readers.

It all depends on your priorities, People spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for some things I wouldn’t have if I were paid the same amount to accept them. There are things I have which others would trash immediately. To each his own. If money were the only consideration and reading the only purpose, an ebook reader would pay for itself with all the gas saved between thousand books downloaded.

However, libraries also have story times and newspapers and film strips and magazines and people with similar interests. If you want those, there are few places other than a library where you will find them

David in a world with choices
not just A or B
but A and B
or neither A nor B
joshua on August 4th, 2010 6:20 pm

oops my bad
joshua on August 4th, 2010 6:16 pm

I would love to have a library here in molino,It would be a great idea.A library card is a heck of a lot cheeper than a “ebook reader”and you will be able to learn how to spell ” library’s” isn’t that correct Mr Green.Bring on the book’s.
what a shame on August 3rd, 2010 7:47 am

Of course I’m sure some of their decision was not based on the
# of residents we have here in molino.

Maybe some of the redneck anti- government and establishment
people should have filed that census after all.
Oh thats right, most of you can’t do that because your off the grid
and probably wanted.
LOL
Danny Lewis on August 2nd, 2010 4:28 pm

I support The Commission appling for the 500K again.The library is needed
in the area of Molino.The library can be a great focal point for the community.Not only is it a great educational resource enjoyed by all,but other important issues
concerning the community can be addressed. at the new library.
David Huie Green on August 2nd, 2010 2:05 pm

Of course a good ebook reader can easily hold 1400 books and fit in your pocket, go with you wherever you go, available whenever you have a minute.

Libraries can do much more, but if just reading is being considered, you can put a fair amount in your shirt pocket.
interested reader on August 2nd, 2010 12:34 pm

Sorry to say but libraries are at the bottom of the “important” list. Never mind that even though we now are in the computer age children still need to be able to read and have free access to books. The computer cannot take the place of a good reference book or just reading for the enjoyment of it. Please keep trying to get funding for this worthy project.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News